A Second Chance
by Resonance112597
Summary: What would happened if Zack were given a second chance? What would happen? A Second Chance to live his life again and to be with the girl he loves.
1. Chapter 1

**Resonance112597: Hi there, this is my second (maybe third depending when I finish it) fanfic already. First one is a crossover hope you guys see it though and make reviews. Anyways on with the story. Sorry if it's short. T.T  
**

**Cait Sith: But first; Welcome to Cait Sith's commentary section for today.**

**Cloud: Who would listen to a cat!**

**Aerith: Well...mmmm...I would...they're cute.**

**Zack: Yeah I agree with her.**

**Cloud: ZACK! Are you going gay or something?**

**Zack: What did you say?**

**Cloud: -eyes widened-**

**Zack: -face reddens-**

**Zack: CROSS-SLASH!**

**Cloud: ahhhhhh, biscuits**

**-Cloud gets it in the butt by the blunt end of the blade-**

**Cloud: S********

**Cloud: -flies away-**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own and/or claim that the characters here are my own but to Square Enix.**

++++++++++++++++++++++++++Life Stream++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Do we get second chances after we...die? This is one of the many questions in life that are left... unanswered. Some of us think that we... just die or maybe have a long sleep. This is my story; my name is... Zack Fair and this all started ...**again** in a cliff near... Midgar." The man who came to be known as Zack Fair has said.

Walking in a place where it was warm. Light flowing was around moving from space to space. Streams of blue green flowed under his feet. The sky was dark blue. It was as if he was at peace but he was missing a crucial piece. The woman he loves. The flowergirl named Aerith. He met her shortly after a mission after falling from the Plate Interior. All he remembered was her. All of his memories were vague but they were there.

"It seems you are not ready yet, my child." said the woman who appeared out of nowhere wearing an elegant dress with patterned trimmings. She had flowing blond hair and skin as fair as the day. Zack remembered the face in an instant.

"Minerva?" Zack said surprised because in one mission he fought her but lost. Except that time she wore armor. Now she looked stunning wearing an elegant dress that simply looked pure and beautiful.

"Ah, Zack Fair. Don't worry I am not mad at you. You were simply forced into fighting me." Minerva said smirking.

Zack just replied with an embarrasing sigh. His body felt heavy. He remembered everything that happened. Even the time Angeal died giving him the Buster Sword. He did the same for Cloud.

"I will give you a second chance for life. Do not waste it. You will go back to the arms of the one you love but all of these have their prices. You will face trials in the first seven years and then you are free". Minerva said smiling, feeling sympathy for the man who had paid a high price for the freedom of a friend.

"Wha~" Zack said but was interrupted by a sudden burst of light. He was brought by the light to a different place, and away from the paradise of the Lifestream.

He was in a different place now. He suddenly remembered where he was after looking around. He was back in the cliff near Midgar. His clothes were still tattered and ruined with slash marks and bullet holes but he had no wound at all in anypart of his body even the blood stains are gone. He ran towards the bike. Cloud was sitting on top of another bike beside the old and rusty bike. Cloud was older now. His expression was graver than it was the last time he saw him.

"ZACK, is that YOU!" Cloud said with a renewed expression of hope. His eyes were not dull anymore with any expression. They shined as if he found a lost comrade.

"Cloud, what happened to you; you seem so sad?" Zack said wondering about his grave expression, and among the surreal, and surprised and not to mention, a shocking reunion. Suddenly, a brown haired girl, hair adorned with a pink bow tied to her hair, appeared to them.

"Aerith!" Zack exclaimed. His eyes tearing from the pain released from his heart because he fiannly was by Aerith's side.

"Zack!" Aerith exclaimed in reply. She was crying while she ran towards Zack. She had missed him in the many years he was gone not knowing what had happened to him.

The two hugged each other missing each other's presence. It has been 5 years since the two have seen each other. Crying on each other's shoulder never letting go of each other until...

"Hello, I am SOOOO NOT here." Cloud said with a sarcastic edge.

"Hahahahaha…I almost forgot." Zack said chuckling while wiping his tears.

"Come on let's go back to Midgar." Cloud said smiling.

They rode on Cloud's motorcycle good thing he had a side car attached to it. The ride was long yet fun the three caught up together in each of their lives. The road to Midgar was laden with spare parts, rusted metal, crushed concrete and a lot more. It looked like the slums to Zack but it had a sky.

"Well, we're here." Cloud said smiling.

A colossal church stood up in front of them. It was old and it had cracks and holes on the roof. Zack remembered where he was like it was the back of his hand.

"This is the church in the slums!" Zack exclaimed. He remembered the times he spent with Aerith.

Nostalgia hits him fully, as the memories flood in as a mental image of them back then came into the setting. A teardrop rolled down his cheek.

"Zack..." Cloud said nudging Zack

"Zack...hey!" Dude, wake up!" Cloud began to call out,

"Huh?" Zack blinked, snappig himself back into reality.

He looked to see his friend's concerned faces, and Aerith's worried one.

"What's wrong?" Aerith began to ask, worry, clearly shows.

However, Zack grinned and shook his head. "...No, it's...I'm...I'm fine..." smiles and looks at the sky. "...It's just De Ja Vu..."

"Are you sure?" Cloud asked worriedly.

"Yeah, let's just go inside." Zack said wiping his tear trying to recover from the flashback.

They went inside the church. Everything was just as Zack remembered it would be. The flowers were spread across one area.

Suddenly, the doors opened.

"Shinra machines, how did they get here?" Cloud said pulling out his enormous sword.

Suddenly, a blinding flash erupted and Zack felt something touch his back. A familiar weight in his back was replaced by the touch. The Buster Sword was there at his back all polished and refurbished. Zack laughed and pulled out his sword and strook a wide grin.

"Haaaaaahhhhh!" Zack said charging at his opponents while Cloud followed him.

They lunged at the machines together. Cloud jumped while Zack sidestepped and slashed at the machines and killed them by one fell swoop.

"Hahahahaha…it has been awhile since we fought together" Cloud laughed. Zack laughed also then Aerith followed.

"So how did you come back it has been 4 years ever since you helped Cloud live. He told me everything." Aerith asked.

"Let's just say a divine friend helped me." Zack said scratching his head.

"Yeah, let's leave it at that." Cloud said smiling nervously.

"So, Cloud what do you do know?" Zack asked.

"I'm with AVALANCHE now. Shinra has turned bad. They even got new types of SOLDIER operatives."Cloud replied.

"Really! Last thing I saw were Shinra Troops." Zack said chuckling with a little uneasiness.

"Well right now they improved them; it's as if their humanity was striped off of them." Cloud said shifting his eyes to the ground where a large fissure was located.

"We have to go back or else SOLDIER operatives might come." Aerith said with a little sense of fear.

"Okay then, let's go." Zack said grinning.

They hopped on the tricycle and speeded their way towards the main headquarters of AVALANCHE. With Zack not knowing what he would encounter there. Not knowing who he would meet or how would they welcome him. Nobody ressurects from deathwithout a Phoenix Down and sadly he didn't have one.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++To Be Continued +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**Cloud: Dude that really hurt.**

**Zack: Stop complaining or you'll get another one.**

**Cait Sith: That's what you get for messing with us cats.**

**Aerith: Oh my God you're so cuuuuute.**

**-Aerith picks up Cait Sith and starts pulling his cheeks.**

**Cait Sith: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

**-Zack and Cloud laugh-**


	2. Chapter 2

Resonance112597: I haven't written in a long time. Sorry about that. I had a lot of things to do. Currently I'm writing other fanfics along with this so please do read it. By the way oodball167, the suggestions you gave like a different AN section was great. It will be changed in the next chapter.  
Cait Sith's Commentary  
Cait Sith: Welcome to Cait Sith's Commentary today's guest is Vincent Valentine. Hi there Vincent.  
Vincent…I have to go do something….thank you for having me…bye…  
-Vincent leaves-  
Cait Sith: Well that was unexpected.  
-Cait Sith slams his head on the table-  
**DISCLAIMER: I do not own and/or claim that the characters here are my own but to Square Enix.**  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++AVALANCHE HQ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
They arrived in front of a building in the outskirts of Midgar. The door was made of metal with a slit as a peephole. 

"Barret!" Cloud shouted knocking on the door. The slide opened revealing dark brown eyes.  
"Who's he?" the man asked staring at Zack from head to toe. 

"Zack Fair, a friend of mine." Cloud answered. The door opened revealing a muscular man with a prosthetic wrist. Zack looked at the man and the man looked at Zack.  
"Hi I'm Zack. Nice to meet you" Zack said reaching out his hand for a handshake. 

"I'm Barret Wallace, Nice to meet you too." Barret shook Zack's hand.  
" This is AVALANCHE HQ ." Barret said.  
"AVALANCHE? Back in my days as SOLDIER we used to fight against AVALANCHE. Change of leadership?" Zack said looking at the building.  
"Cloud, you didn't tell me that your friend here was a SOLDIER operative." Barret said staring at Cloud. 

"I'll prove to you my loyalty then, how's that?" Zack said he knew this was one of the trials that he had to face.  
"Okay then battle me." Barret said lifting his prosthetic wrist which was actually a mini-gun.  
"Why should I fight you when you are an ally?" Zack asked.  
"Cause he said so." Cloud answered for Barret.  
"Alright then." Zack stepped forward and drew his Buster Blade. 

Zack ran as fast as he can trying to dodge the rain of bullets coming from Barret. Zack flipped into the air and disappeared or a moment and then appeared once more closer to Barret. Barret was able to dodge it by sidestepping. Zack used Cross-slash but Barret fired his mini-gun which made Zack back flip and then he was able to guard himself from the bullets. Barret continued pouring bullets to Zack. Zack Hi-Jumped and then landed in front of Barret his sword pointed o his neck. Aerith was shocked to see Zack fight like this since she only saw him fight fledgelings most of the time. Like Gun Bulls, Hedgehogs and such.  
" Not bad. I'm impressed." Barret commented. 

"Well I did have SOLDIER conditioning so you were the better one because you didn't get totally beaten." Zack said. Cloud, Aerith and Barret laughed together.  
"What?" Zack asked scratching his head.  
"Is he always like this" Barret asked.  
"Yeah.. Hahahahaha" Cloud laughed.  
"Like what?" Zack asked. They all laughed but Zack sighed. 

" Oh so why don't you come in. Aerith, is Marlene okay?" Barret asked  
"Yeah."Aerith answered smiling. Zack looked at her smile. Something of her he really misses too along with her voice.  
They went in the building. It was just like any house except it was big and it had a lot of occupants. They were most likely AVALANCHE members. Suddenly a black-haired girl came along with a blonde man.  
"Cid, Tifa what are you doing here.?Aerith asked.  
"T-Tifa?" Zack was shocked because in his last mission he met Tifa and she was injured by Sephiroth.  
"You're the other SOLDIER guy!" Tifa said pointing at Zack.  
"Hmmm.. so they know each other?" Barret asked.  
"Yeah... We were in a mission in Nibelheim when they met." Cloud explained. 

"Wait I'm not just the other SOLDIER guy." Zack said.  
"Now I remember your name. Your that cocky SOLDIER guy, Zack." Tifa said looking up trying to remember.  
"Never mind."Zack said Aerith went closer and put her hand on his back and laughed.  
"It's okay." Aerith said.  
"So what brings you here?" Barret asked. 

"Right, we gathered intel about sightings of a white-haired male, most likely Sephiroth. Then a man came and said "There's a white-haired man outside he said he was looking for Cloud." the man said. In a matter of seconds the man was slashed along with the door.  
"Sephiroth!" Cloud and Zack said simultaneously.  
"Hmph...I see you're still alive." Sephiroth said looking at Zack.  
"I thought you died. Cloud what's wrong." Zack other AVALANCHE members were running away. 

"He must have been awakened by one of his remnants." Cloud said. Sephiroth dashed towards Cloud and Zack. The both jumped and dodged Sephiroth's attacks.  
A high-pitched noise rang in Sephiroth's head and he immediately withdrew.  
"That was close, but what made him withdraw?" Cid said looking around.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++Unknown Location+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
"Arghhh..what was that noise. All I remember is that brown-haired girl coming close." Sephiroth said rubbing his head.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Lifestream+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Hmmm...he has proven much so far, but I hope it will end happily for him." Minerva said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Unknown Location++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
"Hmmm...I wonder if Zack is still out there. " a red-haired woman said.  
"Hey, Zack if ever you're out there, why don't you visit your family they miss you." the woman shouted up in the air as if Zack can hear her.  
"Cissnei, I finally found you. Let's go." a black-haired man said.  
"Alright, Tseng." the woman said walking towards the man. They went in the helicopter and finished their business there.  
++++++++++++++++++++++++To Be Continued+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Cait Sith: I'm very sorry viewers for the last time. Now we have Cloud Strife.  
Cloud: Not interested.  
-Cloud left-  
Cait Sith: Well this is Cait Sith's Commentary signing off...forever  
-Cait Sith cried-  
Aerith: Don't worry. Why don't you come with me I'll buy you anything you want.  
Cait Sith: Really?  
-Aerith nodded-  
Cait Sith went with Aerith.


End file.
